Area 51: Stalf breaks Humboldt State's all-time home run record

ARCATA -- Her smile grew wider as she trotted to first base on Friday afternoon.

When the ball sailed over the left-field fence, she made history.

The roar of the crowd and the jubilant display her anxious and elated teammates put forth while waiting at home plate signified just how grand the feat was.

But, it didn't really sink in until Chrissy Stalf was given the ball.

"That's when I started crying," the senior first basemen said, "when (coach) Shelli (Maher-Sarchett) handed me the ball."

The rush of emotion paralleled the rush the crowd and her fellow Jacks felt when the sweet swinging southpaw finally made good contact on a two-strike pitch in the fifth inning.

After a pair of hesitant swings and foul balls, the ping came off of Stalf's bat and so did the ball -- opposite field, over the right-field fence.

It was home run No. 51. The one that puts Stalf all alone atop the Humboldt State softball all-time home runs list. One better than another great Humboldt slugger, Taiisha Pleasant.

"I don't even know what to say ...," a teary eyed Stalf said. "It's crazy to be in the same category as her."

"51 ...," Humboldt State head coach Frank Cheek pondered for a second.

"I wish I was that old," he quipped with a grin.

To make the moment sweeter was the fact Stalf's historic round-tripper was a walkoff.

The blast gave Humboldt a 10-1 mercy-rule five inning game one win over visiting Cal State San Bernardino in California Collegiate Athletic Association action.

But as Cheek said, the day is not over.

Stalf sent homers No. 52 and 53 into orbit in game two of the Jacks' 19-2 thrashing of the Coyotes.

"I'm going to miss her," Cheek said of Stalf. "She's one in a long line of great first basemen we've had at Humboldt State."

In all, Humboldt jolted five jacks in the nightcap. Courtney Hiatt, Hannah Brassmassery, and Cyndi Chavez each hit a homer.

Ending game one with the tater also allowed Stalf to acquire an unforgettable memory.

"I'm just so happy that my whole family was here," she said.

There wasn't a dry eye amongst the Stalf family. Chrissy's water works flowed even more when she saw tears coming down her grandfather David Travis' face.

The chase for 51 was tense for many in attendance as Stalf walked, grounded and lined out in her previous at-bats.

Turns out, the delay was necessary.

"My brother just go here and just walked up when I hit the home run," Stalf said.

"I thought she'd get it today," said Cheek. "I didn't think they would pitch to her."

Cheek, of course, ensured the Coyotes had to.

He stacked the deck with the Jacks' top hitters No. 1 through 4 in the lineup forcing the Coyotes to have no other choice.

"It was out of the frying pan, into the fire, and back again," Cheek said with a grin.

It paid off as Dani Randall, hitting in the three spot, finished 3 for 3.

The lower half of the lineup also produced as Julie Pena, hitting in the seven hole, finished with a bases-clearing three-run double and was 2 for 3 overall. The production allowed Humboldt to plate three runs in the third and five in the fourth innings.

"We hit the ball and we hit the ball hard," Cheek said.

The Jacks didn't even need to swing the bat to rack up RBIs in the opener.

Center fielder Tonya Walker had two ribbies via hit by pitch.

The Jacks might have more runs if not for San Bernardino right fielder Na'Tavia Lee. The freshman from San Diego showed her range and glove chasing down and snagging would-be Humboldt hits deep in the outfield.

Not to getting lost in the offensive outbursts were Jacks pitchers Katie Obbema and Lizzie Perez, who picked up wins 21 and 17, respectively.

Humboldt (29-5 in CCAA play, 42-12 overall) and San Bernardino (12-22, 18-34) close out the regular season with today's 11 a.m. doubleheader.